Leg shorter than the other

Gothskull

Hi i was just wondering if anyone else has a leg shorter than the other? My right leg is nearly 2 inches shorter than my left due to an accident when i was a baby. The pain im in is horrendous, my neck and shoulders and my back. My doctor is useless and just doesn't get it. Hopefully someone else will understand.

janer1967

Hi and welcome 

I had this due to a back injury 

I went to a chiropractor and had intensive therapy 3 times a week for months and then co tinted with visits every 2 weeks for 2 years but it did the trick 

Hope you get it sorted 

newborn

I had to get the shoe repairers to build up one of each new pair of shoes.  It was far less than the real difference, but it helped.  Physio is the answer, but getting it is the question, in U.K. If you are in most comparable countries, their versions of public health include better standards in many ways, notably physio.  In Spain, for example,  it is perfectly normal to go as often as needed, for as long as needed, and for both exercise, massage and pain treatments, all  , free (Even if you choose for some reason to go privately, it is at  ridiculously cheap charge)

For pain, my preference is ice for inflamed hurting bits, and those electric hot water bottles for all the other bits.
If I could go back years and advise myself, I would sternly say "Be Obedient".  Obedient to your body.  I'm very lucky, but there is a downside of stubbornly driving yourself on, ignoring what your body is plainly telling you.  If it hurts, duh don't do it.   For years I never thought of that!.  And, paying close attention and thinking back, use your brain to help stop pain.  If things hurt a lot one day, go over what you did earlier, or the day before.  It can take time for the penny to drop, and make the link between   some activity and the punishment. 
 (Silly things like the twisting movement used to vacuum, and also  to unload a shopping trolley onto the conveyor at check-out.  Eventually, I realised that although it didn't hurt at the time, my body sent a  Do Not Do This message, hours later or next day.)

Possibly, not sending your whole weight down your stressed body might help?  I tried crutches, then gutter crutches, then a gutter upright walker.   Not NHS.  They don't even supply shock absorbing ferrules, which cost next to nothing and prevent extra injury.  They rarely if ever  offer gutter crutches, which prevent hand and wrist strain.  The Topro Troja frame I bought at a disability exhibition has been worth the price.  You make it take as much, or as little, of your weight as you like.  If one side of you is hurting, it can be the other side that does more work.  If you are really tired or in pain, you can just sit down on it, or you can slump just about all your weight onto it and slowly let it roll you home.

EdwinN

My right leg is 18cm shorter than my left. About 7 inches in difference.

Audinut70

Hi,my ex partner had a leg lengthening procedure, her leg was 10 cm shorter. It involved an aluminium frame, which i had to basically stretch every day. They cut through her leg bone, separated it by 2mm, adjusting the frame to separate the bone each day. The body fills in the gap to increase the length of the leg. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. I have to say though, my legs got scratched to bits lying next to her 😩 😇. Wrap a towel around the frame in bed. Also. You have to sterilise all the pin points and frame 2 to 3 times per day to avoid infection. Like i said, not pretty, but it worked and stopped her hip and back pain, but she was just as happy, because it stopped the sad (Removed by moderator, profanity)

lisathomas50

My partner has one leg shorter than the other he gets pain in his back if he walks to much his was due to a motorbike accident when he was younger 

My partner went to pain management  as the pain killers didn't help he also uses hot water bottles to ease the pain and has baths rather than showers he uses calming bath salts 

Audinut70

My ex was born with a short leg and club foot. Most of her childhood was having operations to try and correct the ankle and foot, moving and replacing bones in her foot, built up shoes and foot braces. A year in the frame was nothing to her but well worth it. She eventually got an ankle replacement 2 years ago, but still has a foot 1 size smaller than the other. 

littleacorn

As a nearly 60 year old I have had one leg shorter than the other. My longer leg is permanently bent at the knee and my lower back are very painful which I think is a result of the years of having an uneven gait. I have taken a concoxion of daily medication and have recently found that this is no longer walking. 

I agree with @newborn above that thinking I can be independent and stubborn doing everything myself not wanting to ask or accept help has taken a toll on my physical health now using a wheelchair. 

newborn

@littleacorn There are plenty of people every bit as stubborn (and daft) as we were!  There must be thousands who will not use a walking aid "That's for old men" "That would make people think I'm disabled or old or something". Thousands will not apply for a blue badge either because "That's for people with wheelchairs, I'm not that bad" or because "I'm not disabled, you just have to expect to be weak as you get old". 
 Actually, being old is used to explain away sight and hearing loss and pain and arthritis and just about anything else, and not even seek medical help because "I don't want to make a fuss"  "You just have to put up with it, it's inevitable at my age" 
(Even young or middle aged people refuse to wear glasses, or refuse to go for a hearing test, simply because something in their minds tells them there is a stigma in 'imperfection'*, and they don't want to be associated with whatever label they imagine will be branded on them.) 
*Yeah, right, and most people are 'perfect', are they??? 
 

Caz_Alumni

Welcome along @Gothskull and thank you for kick-starting this discussion. 

It looks like there are quite a few members of the Online community who can empathise with you about one of your legs being shorter than the other. So, some of what's been said above might resonate with your own experiences, maybe?

Actually, I wanted to check with you about your issues with pain as well. I know you've said that your doctor is not very helpful. Sorry to hear that's the case. Have you tried speaking to your GP about this recently? And have they not really offered you any medical support with your pain relief? 

Hope that the responses from our community have helped you to know that you're not on your own though. Keep talking to us and we'll what else we can suggest in terms of helping you to access some more medical help for your pain

Harrington

I have one leg 2 inches shorter than the other due to a badly curved and twisted spine this causes my pelvis to tilt causing the differences in leg length..i use special shoe insoles i do have a bit of a limp too as well as the pain..like your doctor mine is useless at understanding too..

Cher_Inactive

@Harrington I'm sorry to hear your doctor isn't the greatest at understanding,  I know how frustrating that can be.  Have you ever considered swapping to another GP?  Here's some NHS info on how to do that if that's something you want to consider.  Also, has a referral to a pain clinic ever been discussed?  If not, it might be a conversation to explore if your pain is impacting your daily living.  

I hope you're having a lovely Wednesday so far and speak soon